Net weight....calories remaining....? I'm soooo confused!
breakaway27
Posts: 12 Member
Okay, I am very new to this website, and I am having trouble understanding the calroie counting/burning mehthods this website uses. If any could explain it, I would greatly appreciate it! If you could also use the numbers it's giving me for today, that'd probably help a bunch more. Thank you!!!!
Goal--1290
Food--1577
Exercise-- -421
Net--1156
I am done eating today(I am mega full!), but it's telling me that I have 134calories remaining.....? Please, please help!
Goal--1290
Food--1577
Exercise-- -421
Net--1156
I am done eating today(I am mega full!), but it's telling me that I have 134calories remaining.....? Please, please help!
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Replies
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Your net calories is your food intake-calories burned during exercise. You want this number to be at or below your daily goal (although not below 1200) Looking at your numbers for today, you did fine.0
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you don't have to eat all of ur exercise calories back, that's your choice. and if ur "mega full" that probably isn't good for you either0
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Your goal was to eat 1290 calories today
You actually ate 1577 calories today
You burned 421 calories exercising so they subtract that from what you actually ate leaving you with a "net" of 1156 calories.
You may still eat 134 calories before meeting your goal of 1290.
That is my understanding.
Welcome and good luck!!!!
Kathy0 -
Imagine it's money.
You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.
Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.0 -
You're doing great! Keep up the good work0
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When I first started I was also confused. You don't have to eat exactly the amount of calories every day as long as you eat the right amount weekly. So if you are under a 130 calories one day you can make it up on other days. It 's kinda scary at first because I didnt want to eat so much. It works though! I was at a plateou and found out I was starving myself ,not eating enough. Now I make myself eat more because I work out quite a bit and have been losing steadily! Best wishes! add me if you like0
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Imagine it's money.
You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.
Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.
wow way to help us obsesivly budget mined understand this!!
:bigsmile: now can you help with spelling? 0 -
I think of it as "buying" calories back by exercising. You start off with your calories (mine is 1600) that you can eat for the day. When you exercise, you "buy" calories. So today, I exercised and burned approximately 170 calories. That means I have a total of 1770 calories for the day. Had I not exercised, I would have had only the 1600 calories for the day. I love food so I usually just look at the calories remaining. What actually got me off my hiney and exercising was "buying" calories so I could eat more (or if I overate, I worked off the extra calories). At any rate, I hope this helps. It took me a while to really understand it myself.0
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It's all about net calories in order to maintain a consistent calorie deficit. For example, if you told MFP you wanted to lose a pound a week, that is a deficit of 500 calories per day (a pound of fat is 3500 calories). When you exercise you burn extra calories so those are added back in in order to maintain that 500 calorie daily deficit.
Your numbers look really good.0 -
@breakaway --- your post and peoples' comments have finally helped me understand what is going on with me. Thank you SO much! I am "netting" way under 1200 cals with my exercise. So, now I think I understand this correctly, I need to eat more so that my net calories at least meet 1200.0
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Net should be Close to goal? Help me understand please!
Goal : 1230
Food:1623
Ex: -1435
Net: 188. I thought the goal was to get the net to zero?
Cal remaining 1042. Don't even know what to do with that! Ugh! Frustrating! Thanks!0 -
Imagine it's money.
You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.
Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.
This is actually one of the best explanations of it that I've seen on here.0 -
Imagine it's money.
You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.
Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.
This is actually one of the best explanations of it that I've seen on here.
Yeah that was pretty awesome!! *props*0 -
Net should be Close to goal? Help me understand please!
Goal : 1230
Food:1623
Ex: -1435
Net: 188. I thought the goal was to get the net to zero?
Cal remaining 1042. Don't even know what to do with that! Ugh! Frustrating! Thanks!
This means that MFP has calculated that in order to lose 1-2 lbs a week (whichever you set it up as) you need to eat 1230 calories per day. When you exercise you burn calories and they disappear from your total (1230) like you never ate them in the first place. In your example above it shows that you ate 1623 calories for the day BUT you exercised away 1435 of them (that's a TON).. they disappeared..like you never ate them so what you have left over is 188 calories that your body can use to fuel you and that's all you have. You are 1042 calories SHORT from having enough calories to feed your body. At that rate your body will not be able to sustain you for very long. You may lose a little weight but then it will stop because your body will start to react like you are starving and will fight to hold on to every pound.
The debate is open on if you should eat back exercise calories and/or how many. It seems that many people agree that if you do not eat close to 1200 (after you subtract your exercise) you soon stop losing weight. In your case it would be suggested that if you work out as hard as you did today you will need to eat WAY more. Alternately, you can just work out less and then you don't need to eat so much!
Hopefully that makes it more clear 0 -
I still get confused with this too. I almost feel like I shouldnt eat back my calories, well...all of them that is. I understand half but I dont understand why they allow you to eat back all of what you burned? Weird.0
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I think that helps, another month and I won't be able to do so much exercise...it is mind boggling to think I should be eating more...just had two toasted honey and almond butter sandwiches...I am stuffed! But what you say makes sense, so I will try it...thanks so much...0
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Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846
So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol0 -
Hi, I will be very interested in seeing how people answer your post, cuz that's a good question.....0
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Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846
So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol
Not everyone is 1200 so you have to adjust for what MFP says you should be doing. Based on what you picked your net should be closer to what your goal says.. 1940. You have eaten 1094, you are short 846. If your settings are not right then you need to adjust it but for what you picked 1200 has nothing to do with you.
Your net should be close to your goal, that's all you need to worry about.0 -
" Your net should be close to your goal" ......assuming that you are correct in saying so, thank you! I needed a simple statement of what the point is!0
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Right but I technically ate 1736... It only ended up at that 1094 due to the exercise I did today(642). The 1200 I was talking about was someone in earlier post said the net should be around 1200 thus I should of ate another 106 calories to reach that. Sounds like u are saying I should of re-ate all my exercise cals and then also the extra amount until my food intake including working out was the 1940.0
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If your food intake goal is 1940, then you should try to take in 1940.......right?0
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Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846
So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol
Not everyone is 1200 so you have to adjust for what MFP says you should be doing. Based on what you picked your net should be closer to what your goal says.. 1940. You have eaten 1094, you are short 846. If your settings are not right then you need to adjust it but for what you picked 1200 has nothing to do with you.
Your net should be close to your goal, that's all you need to worry about.
1200 calories for women or 1500 for men is just what your body needs in any given day to function properly. Anything you eat over that net and up to your goal is ok. If you don't give your body that it can not do every thing it needs to, from keeping you breathing to breaking down fat. Your body will perform the most important functions first and unimportant things like breaking down fat will not get done unless there is enough energy to do it.0 -
Thanks!0
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Imagine it's money.
You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.
Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.
My doctor broke it down to me this way....... nice explanation0 -
Well I thought I understood but now I'm a little confused. Why do I need to eat my exercise calories? If I exwecise more and then eat more I feel like I've defeated the purpose of my exercise (I know it's still good for me and will help me tone my muscles so lets not open that can of worms).....I'm just saying if I'm exercising a lot so I can lose more weight but then I eat all those calories I just burned, I'll lose less weight, right? So can't my total calories consumed be 1200 regardless of my exercise if I want to lose weight faster ?0
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Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846
So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol
What you summarized is correct. After your 'withdrawals' for exercise, you have 'deposited' 1094 calories in your body for it to use for regular functioning.
In terms of thinking about the deficit, you're over-thinking it. Your goal calories already take the deficit into account. So if your net calories are less than or equal to your goal intake, you have succeeded in attaining the deficit that MFP says you need to lose two pounds a week.
Today, you not only hit the deficit you needed to lose 2 pounds a week (according to MFP), you ate 846 calories FEWER than that deficit.
People who believe that eating too little causes long term problems in weight loss - you plateau, you make yourself sick, you can't stick with it because it's not sustainable - will tell you should eat the full NET 1940 (an additional 846 calories) to optimize weight loss over the long haul.
However, remember that you're going to vary day to day. You just have to have an average net of 1940 for the week.
I have two questions:
How on earth did you lose 642 calories in workout if you are just starting and that much to lose? You must have worked SO HARD!
Second, most people's activity level - especially exercise - varies a lot. You EITHER keep yourself listed as sedentary and log all your exercise OR you change your activity level to higher and don't log your exercise. You can't do both - that's double dipping. MFP uses your 'sedentary' or 'light active'. setting to calculate your goal calories.
IMO, f your activity level varies, you probably want to set yourself as sedentary and then record your exercise. It's more accurate and I am going to guess that is this is particularly true if you have a lot of weight to lose.0 -
Yeah when I filled out the original profile I checked the lightly active box. So I should put it to sedentary(sp)? The calorie part is what came up when I logged my exercise according to saved in database and assuming it took my higher weight into account lol. I worked my tail off used to play softball etc so very athletic when at right weights etc.0
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Go back to your profile and settings and change to sedentary. Then log your exercises and eat whatever part of those calories you're hungry for.
It's very simple: read the thing that tells you how many calories you have left for the day. Keep that number over 0. If it goes negative, you ate too much.
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Totally confused here too. So I used the tool and it said I need to set my goal to 1200 (Based on sedentary and 6 x45 minute work outs a week) to lose the 1-2lbs a week.
If my calorie food intake is 1300
Do I log my daily exercise calorie count for example -300
plus my sedentary estimate? -1500?
That would bring my net to 500.
Doesn't make sense that I need to eat additional 700 to make net of 1200.00
Am I doing something wrong?0
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